On Monday, December 9th, more than sixty thousand Americans participated in the Patients Aware inaugural tele-town hall event hosted by Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee, and a panel of doctors, nurses, and healthcare policy experts. Seniors and their families dialed in to this national forum to ask questions about the Affordable Care Act and what it means for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. The hour-long event kicked-off one of the most effective education efforts to date since the law was passed in March 2010.

Initiated by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare Foundation, the Herndon Alliance, and the National Physicians Alliance, Patients Aware is building a national network of doctors, nurses, and caregivers to provide information directly to beneficiaries about the Affordable Care Act. Doctors, nurses and other care providers are among the most trusted sources of health care information for seniors and their families who will be invited to attend meetings in their own communities or participate in one of the future tele-town halls taking place next year. The grassroots education campaign will culminate in the National Call for Health in the fall of 2012, destined to be the largest event of its kind in history.

Many seniors are still not aware of the new benefits provided in the Affordable Care Act such as free preventative care services, closing the Part D prescription drug doughnut hole and incentives for providers and hospitals to keep patients healthy and independent. Prior to the December 9th tele-town hall, more than 60 percent of the callers did not know they are now entitled to an annual preventive care wellness visit as part of Medicare. Patients Aware will connect America’s seniors with front-line healthcare experts nationwide to help close that information gap. Already, the campaign has received more than 300 requests to speak at senior centers, churches, and other organizations.

Patients Aware will continue to build its coalition of health, aging, women’s, civic and other organizational sponsors. The National Organization for Women, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the Service Employees International Union and the Alliance for Retired Americans have already pledged their support.

Initial funding has come from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare Foundation and The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

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The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff. The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better-informed citizens and voters.